Guide to Queen Elizabeth National Park in 2025 : The Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited national park. The park was founded in 1952 as Kazinga National Park and renamed two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II of England. This park is known for its abundance of wildlife of about 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species but it’s famous for its tree-climbing lions, whose males sport black manes in an area called Ishasha in Rukungiri. This park lies on 1,987 square kilometres of land situated south of the Rwenzori mountains, bordering Congo and including two lakes, George and Edward, which are connected through the natural Kazinga Channel. It is an ecosystem made of wetland and open savannah areas, at an altitude of 910m at Lake Edward.
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the most reknown national park because of the its diverse wildlife species. The park is home to over 95 mammal’s species, which makes it the best Uganda safari parks to explore the wildlife of Uganda. The park is home to Four of the Big Five iconic animals such as Elephants, buffalo, lion, and leopard. Elephants and buffalo are very common throughout Queen Elizabeth National Park, and lions are surprisingly easy to spot on the Kasenyi and Ishasha Plains. There are also other animals that you can also encounter while on a safari for instance common antelopes are Uganda Kob, defassa waterbuck, bushbuck, topi, Spotted Hyenas, Side-Striped Jackal, Serval Cats.
Additionally, Queen Elizabeth National Park is known for its highest concentration of Hippopotamus and Nile crocodiles residing at Kazinga channel.
The tree climbing lions and hippos are the most pish factor in this park by tourists. This is because, the park in the only two places in the world where you can find the tree climbing lions. The second destination in lake manyara national park in Tanzania.
More so the park is also home to 10 primate species for instance chimpanzees, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus, olive baboons
Besides the animals, the National Park is also home to over 600 bird species, since it has a wide variety of habitats that is forest, savannah and wetland and among others. Queen Elizabeth national park also hosts a lot of bird species which are commonly known as specials in East Africa, this make it to be among the top best destinations not only in Uganda but also other parks in Africa with large number of different birds. Bird watching in Queen Elizabeth national park is done into different areas that is Maramagambo forest, Kazinga channel, Mweya peninsula, Lake Edward, Ishasha sector, and Lake George. Some of the bird species you may sight here includes the open-Billed stork, African shoebill, saddle bill stork, Great and long tailed cormorant, Darters, pink-Backed pelicans and among others. The shores of Kazinga channel also attracts a lot of wild animal species like crocodiles, hippos, elephants, antelopes and many more.
Amazing things to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Game drives
Game drives in queen Elizabeth national park is the main highlight for a Uganda safari in the park. The park is home to over 95 mammal’s species, which makes it the best Uganda safari parks to explore the wildlife of Uganda. Game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park is done into different areas that is Mweya peninsula, Ishasha sector, Kasenyi plains and crater lakes. Game drive tours in the park are done in an open 4×4 wheel safari van and last for about 2 to 3 hours depending on the area where you choose. During your game drive tour, you will have the chance to spot variety of wildlife such as Elephants, buffalo, lion, leopard, Uganda Kob, hippos, crocodiles, defassa waterbuck, bushbuck, topi, Spotted Hyenas, Side-Striped Jackal, Serval Cats as well as several bird species.
Birdwatching
Queen Elizabeth national park is one of the birding safari destinations in Uganda with the highest population of birdlife. The park is home to more than 660 bird species recorded within the boundaries of the park. This makes the park a bird haven. Many of the bird species here follow the migratory trend of breeding in Asia and Europe but wintering in Africa. During your birdwatching tour, you’ll have the chance to spot different bird species such as open-Billed stork, African shoebill, saddle bill stork, Great and long tailed cormorant, Black-crowned Tchagra, Grey Kestrel, Rufous napped Lark, African Mourning Dove, Swamp Nightjar, Brown Snake Eagle, Palm-nut Vulture, Brown-backed Scrub-Robin, Green Crombec, Cisticolas and many more.
Lion tracking
Lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park is an unforgettable experience. This activity allows you to follow a specific lion or a group of them, giving you valuable insights into how they live, what they eat, and how they interact with each other.
To take part in the Lion tracking one needs to book in advance. The experience costs the cost is $200 per person for foreign non resident, $ 150 per person for foreign resident, while East African citizens can participate for 200,000 Uganda shillings. You can make your payment directly at the Mweya Information Centre. You can choose to go tracking in the early morning, in the afternoon, or even at night, with each session lasting roughly two to three hours.
During your tracking adventure, there may be moments when the guide takes you off the main paths to get closer to the lions. You will be guided by park guide or researcher until you find the lions as they track their location.
Boat cruise
Boat cruise along the Kazinga channel is another exciting safari that you shouldn’t miss while on a Uganda safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park. this boat cruise safari offers you with the chance to witness some of the creatures that you might have miss while on a traditional game drive. Boat cruise trips along the Kazinga channel are conducted twice in a day, that’s morning and afternoon. The channel is home to a wide range of animals and birds, including one of the world’s largest concentrations of hippos and countless Nile crocodiles. During your boat crude safari, you’ll have he chance to spot variety of aquatic species such as large groups of hippos, and crocodiles basking on the shore, elephants, buffaloes and antelopes. Boat cruise on Kazinga channel gives a chance to watch beautiful views and uncommon vegetation with a lot of bird species which includes; the open-Billed stork, African shoebill, saddle bill stork, Great and long tailed cormorant, Darters, pink-Backed pelicans and among others.
Cultural visit
Visiting African communities during your safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park is an experience you won’t forget. One highlight is the Lake Katwe Mines, where you can see firsthand how local people use the park’s resources to support their families. This offers insight into why this park stands out as a place where wildlife and humans live side by side.
If you’re interested in connecting with the local culture, consider participating in the Kasoga community experience. Here, community members will share their stories about the challenges of living in proximity to the park and how they’ve learned to live harmoniously with the wildlife. You can also enjoy vibrant cultural displays, including traditional dances.
Additionally, there are craft villages nearby, where you can pick up unique souvenirs. By purchasing these handmade items, you’re not just taking a piece of the culture home with you; you’re also helping to support the local artisans. It’s a wonderful way to engage with the community and make your visit even more meaningful.
Nature walks and hikes
Guided nature walk is also another exciting activity to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park during your safari. You’ll be accompanied by a ranger for your safety. These walks take place on the Mweya peninsula, offering stunning views of Kazinga Channel and Lake Edward, as well as opportunities to spot various wildlife. During your guided nature walks, you might see elephants, mongooses, antelopes, giant forest hogs, and bush pigs along the way.
Walking alongside the Ishasha River gives you a chance to get up close to hippos, while exploring areas like Maramagambo Forest, Kyambura Forest, and Kalinzu Forest opens up a world of diverse bird species and primates. You might even encounter bat caves and catch sight of more animals such as antelopes and forest hogs. Each step reveals the beauty and richness of nature, making these walks a memorable part of your adventure.
Chimpanzee tracking tour
Chimpanzee tracking tours is another must do safari adventure activity in Queen Elizabeth national park. this rewarding activity is normally caried out at Kyambura Gorge. The chimpanzee tracking is done in the morning and afternoon and it starts with a briefing about the rules and regulation. There after you will be allocated a ranger who will lead you to the forest in search for the chimp habituated families. During the trek, you’ll also have the chance to encounter with other creatures such as black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, bushbucks, giant forest hogs, African finfoot, greater flamingo and bar-tailed godwit among others. Once these creatures are found, you’ll have 1 hour interaction with them, observing how they do with their daily activities such as feeding, carrying their young ones, playing among others. the Chimpanzee permit for Kyambura costs $ 100 per person per trek which is way cheaper compared to other chimpanzee trekking destinations in Uganda.
When to go for a safari
The park can be visited throughout the year, but the best time to visits the park for a memorable wildlife safari is during the dry season. The season generally occur from June to early October and again in December through to early March. Higher rainfall is normally experienced in October and November and March through to the end of May. The heaviest rainfall occurring in April, traditionally May as well, but this has been relatively dry in recent years.
Accommodation options available
While there are a range of accommodation options available in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the accommodation facilities in the park ranges from luxury, mid-range to budget-friendly. Some of the accommodation facilities options here includes Ishasha Wilderness Camp Lodge, Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Katara Lodge, Elephant Plains Lodge, Mweya safari lodge, Ishasha Jungle safari Lodge, buffalo safari Lodge, Twin Lakes Lodge, Elephant Hab, Park View Lodge and Many others.
How to get to the park
Getting to Queen Elizabeth National Park doesn’t have to be a hassle. One of the simplest ways to reach the park is by taking a daily flight, which cuts down your travel time to just about 1 hour and 15 minutes. You can catch a flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi, and it will take you directly to either Kasese Airstrip or Kihihi Airstrip. From there, it’s just a short drive to the park, and the best part is that flights aren’t too pricey. Plus, the drive from the airstrip to the park is really short, so you’ll be enjoying the stunning scenery in no time.
If flying isn’t your thing, you can always opt for a fun road trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive from Entebbe or Kampala takes around 5 hours, but trust me, it’s worth it. Along the way, you can make some exciting stops and take in the breathtaking views. We use special 4×4 vehicles that are comfortable and spacious, perfect for a safari adventure. And don’t worry about the roads – our vehicles are designed to handle them with ease, so you can just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
